The Shakespeare Book

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home, and that they have put Kent

in the stocks. After a furious

confrontation with both daughters,

Lear rushes into a thunderstorm.

Deranged with fury and grief, he

and his Fool befriend Poor Tom.

Goneril and Regan plot to have

their father killed, but Gloucester

has the king secretly conveyed to

safety at Dover, in the knowledge

that Cordelia is returning with a

French army to avenge her father.

When Gloucester’s actions are

discovered, he has both his eyes

plucked out by Cornwall (who is

fatally wounded by his own

servant). Edgar leads the blinded

Gloucester to what he pretends to

be the edge of Dover Cliff so that he

may end his life. When Gloucester

falls forward onto level ground,

Edgar convinces him that he has

miraculously survived the jump.

Cordelia takes Lear into her

protection. A battle ensues. Lear

and Cordelia are defeated and

imprisoned. Disguised as a knight,

Edgar challenges Edmond to single

combat. When Edmond is fatally

wounded, Edgar reveals his

identity. The jealousy between

Goneril and Regan over Edmond

THE KING’S MAN

Act 3 Act 4 Act 5

erupts into murder and suicide—

Goneril poisons her sister, and

then stabs herself. Edmond urges

Albany to rescue Lear and Cordelia,

but it is too late. Lear enters,

carrying the dead Cordelia in his

arms. Broken with grief, the King

slips back into madness, failing to

recognize Kent when he finally

reveals his true identity. Just at the

moment when Lear thinks that

Cordelia might still be alive, he

dies. Albany offers to divide the

kingdom between Kent and Edgar,

but Kent says that he will follow his

master, leaving the crown to Edgar. ❯❯

3.2

3.7 4.5 5.2

4.1 5.1 5.3

A demented Lear
rages on the heath.
Kent forces him and the
Fool to take shelter.

Cornwall takes Gloucester

prisoner and plucks

out his eyes.

Edgar kills Oswald

and discovers a letter

in which Goneril

asks Edmond to

kill Albany.

The battle is

fought. Edgar tells

Gloucester that Lear

and Cordelia have

been defeated, and

they go to

join them.

Edgar encounters

his blinded father

wandering on the

heath. He agrees to

take him to Dover

Cliff so that he may

jump and end his life.

Edgar, disguised as a

peasant, gives Albany

a letter, and arranges a

single combat if the British

army is victorious over

the invading French.

Lear and Cordelia

are taken to prison.

Edgar and Edmond

fight a duel and

Edmond is fatally

wounded. Regan is

found to have been

poisoned by Goneril,

who kills herself.

5.3

Lear enters with the dead

Cordelia in his arms, and

dies of grief. Kent promises

to follow after Lear, leaving

the crown to Edgar.